A Day of Firsts
by AAnitab
Summary: This is a prequel to "Our Saturday Morning." I'd wondered for a while about just how Rachel and Jacob got together. The only way to know what you're missing is to see it could all be gone without a moment's notice. Ch 9, it's time to go home, at last.
1. Reaction times

Title: A Day of Firsts

Author: AnitaB

Author's Notes: This is a prequel of sorts to "Our Saturday Morning." I'd been wondering for a good long while about just how Jacob and Rachel got from where the series left them to a happy committed couple in love. Jacob finally decided to tell me at least part of it. Sometimes the only way to find out what you're missing is to realize it could all be gone without a moment's notice.

A Day of Firsts

By AnitaB

Chapter one: Reaction times

People had been telling him how quick his mind was for years. But never in all his life had his brain raced like it was right now. It was simply amazing how all the levels of unexplored emotions, the years of facts, and the present circumstances could boil down to a simple act and word. Every nerve, fiber, and cell in his entire body was in agreement and acted in concert.

"No!" Jacob Hood saw the gun in the instant before his body moved. His arms wrapped tight about Rachel's waist and dragged her hard against his chest, his back twisting to come between her body and the barrel of the gun. In that moment his nerves were running as fast as his brain. He could feel all of her small, warm body go tense against his ribs. He could also feel something even hotter burning its way into his back.

Weirdly enough, all he really felt was relief when the burning stopped deep in his shoulder but didn't make it all the way through to put Rachel at risk. Suddenly his knees gave way and he barely managed to keep her in his arms for the tumble to the ground. Any gunman good enough to make the shot would probably try for another. All he had to protect her with was his body as a shield. He'd already held her in his arms as she almost bled to death from a crossbow bolt to the thigh. Jacob would not, could not lose her again, would do anything to prevent it. No matter what it took.

The lights were fading, turning gray and hazy. Now he couldn't feel the wound in his back, but he could feel Rachel's small hands pushing at his chest. And then he couldn't feel anything at all.

"Jacob!"

//Rachel,\\

000

People always said that time sped up during emergencies. But this was the first time Rachel had really had that experience. One second, they were talking to one of the responding officers, asking the normal thoughty questions. The next, Rachel was on the ground completely covered by Jacob's body and the smell of cordite was in the air.

It took her another second or two to feel something warm and wet dripping onto her neck from his shoulder. "Jacob!" He'd taken her bullet. Jacob Hood had seen it coming and had shielded her with every inch of his body. Jacob had done her job and taken her fucking bullet. If he died saving her, she was going to kill his ass.

Rachel pulled her gun and shoved at Jacob's chest enough to sit up. He slumped into her lap, making it hard to focus on the sights of her gun and the armed man on the other side of them. He could not be allowed to get off another shot. Once he was dead or handcuffed, then she could turn her full attention to the man bleeding in her lap. And if Jacob wasn't absolutely fine… there would be hell to pay. "If you don't want me to shoot you dead right now, get the fuck on the ground and don't even breathe while that officer handcuffs you. Do you understand me?"

Something in her face or her voice must have been as scary as she herself was feeling right now, because the man in front of her gun simply nodded silently and slowly, so slowly put down his gun and went flat on his stomach on the sidewalk. The officer waited for her nod before moving between her gun and the shooter to pull out his cuffs.

The dual metallic click freed her to focus on what really mattered. //Jacob, oh, god, Jacob.\\ Her breath caught and rushed in her throat as her fingers stumbled over his shirt buttons. She had to know how bad it was, had to see, had to stop the bleeding. "Somebody better get an ambulance here ASAP and I need a first aid kit." The entrance wound was very high in his back but there was no exit wound anywhere. Rachel hated the sight of his blood flowing over his skin, but at least it wasn't gushing. "Damnit, where's my first aid kit?" She wadded the cloth of his shirt against the hole in his shoulder, leaning on it with all her weight. "Jacob, if you die on me, I'm coming into the afterlife to kick your damn ass."

//Please, Jacob, please be okay.\\

000

He heard Dr. Hood yell before he heard the gunshot. Even then, Felix knew that only one thing could shove the man out of control that fast. Someone was shooting at Agent Young. He'd watched that scientist stay calm and logical through viral outbreaks, radiation scares, and god knew how many things that still didn't have a real explanation. But put Agent Young in even a little direct danger and the good doctor of reason lost his cool but damn quick. Felix sometimes wondered who was really bodyguarding whom in their little pax-de-deaux.

He was already moving across the parking lot towards the crisis when the next voice he heard cleared up the one question in his mind. "Jacob!"

They must've been trying for Agent Young, but that wasn't who caught the bullet. Felix passed the cop cars in time to watch the official FBI bodyguard raise her gun with her charge slumped across her lap, bleeding from a hole in his back. When he'd been standing, that point would be right about head height for the petite blonde with the gun.

Correction, for the scary as hell, violent blonde with the gun. "If you don't want me to shoot you dead right now, get the fuck on the ground and don't even breathe while that officer handcuffs you. Do you understand me?" Her gun hand was rock steady but the rest of her seemed to shake more with each drop of blood soaking into Jacob's shirt.

Felix wasn't at all surprised when the shooter nearly crapped his pants and followed her orders to the letter. The only man he'd ever seen who didn't cower before that look on her face was the one currently out cold in her arms.

Felix himself jumped to obey her, sprinting for the closest cop car and its first aid kit. When he got to her side, her gun was thrown to the ground and both her hands were putting pressure on the wound with what used to be the scientist's shirt.

He'd never seen her lose track of her weapon before. "The ambulance is on the way." He dropped to his knees and opened the kit. Agent Young didn't even look up when he handed her a big square of gauze and pulled the bloodied shirt from her grip. In a moment he realized why she wouldn't look up. A droplet of water fell to splatter against the blood on Dr. Hood's back. She was crying even as her hands moved smoothly and effectively fought to control the bleeding. "Agent Young." Her shoulders hitched and her fingers shook. But she still wouldn't look at him. "Rachel," Felix found his hand at her chin, tilting her face up as she bit her lip. "Rachel, he's going to be okay."

Her eyes flicked to his for just a moment before tracing the unconscious lines of Jacob's face pressed against her hip. "He better be, or I'm taking it out of his hide when he wakes up." He'd never heard her voice hold so much uncertainty or pain. "What the hell was he thinking, Felix, taking my bullet like that?"

"He'd do anything for you, Rachel. You know that." Felix brushed her hair behind her ear and rubbed a comforting hand over her back.

Her head dipped, her eyes trailing over the weirdly peaceful expression on Jacob's face. "Yeah, I know that." Rachel leaned down close to the man in her lap and cupped one hand along his jaw. "You listen up, Jacob, and listen good. We're not done here, you got that? You're not allowed to leave me like this, so you have to wake up. Full recovery, and I mean fast, Damnit."

In the distance, he heard the wail of the ambulance getting closer. Help was coming. And if Jacob knew what was good for him, he'd obey his little blonde's orders to the letter… just like everyone else did.

//Come on, man. She needs you now.\\

000


	2. First Responders and Responses

A Day of Firsts

By AnitaB

Chapter two: First responders and responses

The call had come in its normal factual way: gunshot, unconscious male, police already on scene. But he'd been at this job for … quite a few years, and he knew that the basic facts never fully described the situation he'd find at the end of his partner's hell for leather drive through city streets. When he climbed out of the rig and grabbed his kit, he saw a tall black man waving his hands.

"Over here,"

Michael fell into a quick jog towards him. At the end of the trip, he found his gunshot victim in the arms of a short blonde woman. She had a good pressure bandage in place despite the tears streaking her face. He hadn't even gotten to his knees at their side before she started telling him all the things he would normally ask. "He's 42, not on any medications, and in good health. Medium caliber shot to the upper back. No exit wound." She took a shaky breath and looked down at the man in her lap. "He's unconscious, but his heart and breathing seem strong." Now she trailed a hand through his hair and her voice caught. "Please, help him."

"You did great, sweetie. What's your name?" Michael slipped into his gloves and his 'comfort the wife' voice at the same time.

"Rachel, Rachel Young."

"Good, Rachel. It's nice to meet you. My name's Michael. What's your husband's name?" He leaned over the man to slide the gauze aside and look at the wound. The bleeding wasn't as bad as it could be and the bullet didn't appear to have hit anything immediately serious. His hands automatically started the process of field bandaging the injury.

"He's not m… his name is Jacob." His mind caught just a bit on the half a sentence she started. Maybe they weren't married yet, but he'd dealt with dozens if not hundreds of husbands and wives. Everything about her spoke to a deep and lasting relationship.

"Okay, Rachel. We're gonna take great care of you and Jacob. This will just be a funny story the two of you tell people real soon. Okay?" At her nod, he gave her a smile. "Great. My partner is gonna help us move Jacob onto a stretcher. What I need you to do is keep his head still while we shift him. Think you can do that?"

"He's hard-headed, but yeah, I can do that." Rachel's eyes flicked down to Jacob's face again before she looked up at his partner as Jody positioned the stretcher on the ground.

"Okay, all together in three… two… one." Even when Jacob was safely on the stretcher, his wi… his Rachel didn't lose contact with his skin. She stayed at his side with a hand on his arm for the roll to the rig. The second the gurney was inside the ambulance, Rachel reclaimed his hand to clutch between her own.

"Rachel, I'll call the director and meet you at the hospital. He's gonna be fine." The black man helped the doors of the rig swing shut and tapped the side with a big palm.

"Jody, let's go."

"We're three minutes out from St. Andrews. I've got the ER doc on the comm." Now it was Michael and Jacob's turn to do the heavy lifting. His Rachel needed him.

000

He'd gotten the call, but it wasn't the one he'd expected. He'd thought that someday Jacob might call with the news of his handler's injury. It would mean she'd managed to browbeat him into it before losing consciousness. Probably in his arms.

For all the handlers that man had run off in his years as a consultant with the FBI, short, little Agent Rachel Young had stuck. If she ever quit, he didn't think Jacob would accept someone else in her job.

The FBI director in him saw the hints of something more growing between them, whether they knew it yet or not.

Never, though, had Frank Fuller thought the call that made him drop everything and blare the siren to the hospital would be from Felix, would be Jacob shot protecting his bodyguard.

But maybe he should have expected it after Jacob had led the FBI on a one hell of a chase and broken god knew how many laws and Bureau regulations to get Agent Young home safe when she'd been kidnapped.

Jacob talked more about her at their poker games than the cases they worked together. Any woman that could distract than man from weird science … well, that said something very real.

His feet seemed to know the way to the waiting room where his agent was. She was slumped in a chair, staring at blood drying on her hands. Frank knew from experience that at least one nurse must have tried to help her clean the blood from her hands and face. Agent Young was just stubborn enough to win that battle and nearly every other one she'd ever fought. That's why he had picked her for Jacob, maybe he wouldn't manage to run off someone as stubborn as he was himself.

Her holster was empty on her hip, making him wonder for a second about the status of the shooter. "Agent Young?" She jumped at the sound of his voice, swiping at her eyes with the backs of her hands. Like he could hold even one of those tears against her.

"Director Fuller." He watched her fight to a standing position and hide her hands behind her back. "I'm sorry, sir. I didn't see you. They … they took him into surgery a few minutes ago. He was … still unconscious but the paramedic said the wound didn't look life-threatening."

"That's good to hear, Rachel. Sit down." Frank reached out, pressing one hand to her back to guide her down into the chair. "Jacob is a strong and resilient guy. I know he's going to be fine."

Bloodshot eyes looked at him for the first time. Every inch of her body was tense, almost guilty in her posture. "I'm so sorry, sir. It was my fault. Jacob must have seen the shooter. And he… he…" Rachel's eyes fell closed and he could read more pain than guilt on her face. "He took my bullet. I should've stopped him, but there just wasn't time."

Frank stopped her with a hand on her shoulder and a tone in his voice. "Agent Young. You haven't known Jacob as long as I have. When that man decides on a course of action, no one and nothing can change his mind. Not even me, not even you." He rubbed her arm and hoped she was listening. "Jacob wouldn't be any happier about today if he were out here waiting and you were in there bleeding."

"It's my job to protect him." Her eyes went shiny again. He resisted the urge to give her the hug he gave his daughters when they looked like that.

"And he wants you alive and well to do so. Did you get the shooter?"

Frank watched her lips twist in a small moment of dark joy. "Yes. He's locked up tight. There were enough witnessing cops that he'll be lucky to plead guilty to eight felony charges. He's even luckier that I didn't get a shot off before he started listening to us."

"Well, I think we can make him wish you'd shot him before we're done with him."

Her laugh was a little sharp and her hands were still shaking, but her back was straighter. "Thank you, sir."

He wondered how long Rachel would wait after Jacob woke up before giving him the yelling lecture he so richly deserved. He also wondered who could actually make sure she ate and slept every now and then until that happened.

000

It took him longer than he'd planned, but it all had to get done. Felix booked the shooter with attempted murder with special circumstances and personally walked him to the most secure holding cell in the local PD's office. He knew that Agent Young would want to know the man was as contained as humanly possible. And frankly, it was better that she not know exactly where to find him without someone more … immediately rational around. Just in case.

Finally, Felix was free to go to the hospital and check on Jacob and Rachel. If there had been any major change, she would have called him. And if the change had been that bad, either the nurse or Director Fuller would have picked up the phone.

"Agent Young, how is he?" Walking towards her in the waiting room, he couldn't help but notice the tension riding her small form. Felix usually didn't notice how petite she was because her personality was filled with such a giant strength of will. But now, he wanted to hug her, but she wouldn't let him. Probably.

Her hands were knotted up in her lap with a little blood still on them. "They haven't told me anything yet. But that nurse is damn lucky I didn't have my gun when they wouldn't let me…" Her voice stopped for a second as her eyes flicked to his for a moment. "They took him into surgery almost an hour ago. The Director's making calls outside since the nazi nurse crew really hold people to the 'no cell phones in the hospital' policy." Felix watched her fingers play at the buttons of her jacket sleeves. "No one's spoken to me in thirty minutes."

"Maybe that's because even without your gun… which I picked up from the ground where you dropped it, by the way…they're afraid you'll hurt them. You wait here, and I'll see if the lovely woman at the information desk can enlighten us a little." He gave her a sideways, one-armed hug before getting to his feet and smiling at the nurse behind the counter.

"Hi, Nurse Brown, my friend and I came in with Dr. Jacob Hood. He was shot about an hour ago. Is there any word on how the surgery to remove the bullet is going?"

Green eyes met his and Felix felt a little thrum of a spark. "Jacob Hood? Let me check on that for you, sir." The keys clicked and clacked under her fingers. Her helpful smile faltered a second before she brightened it artificially. "Sir, the only gunshot victim admitted in the last two hours was a Jacob Young. But it might be a computer error."

//No, I think that was the medic telling a greater truth.\\ "No, that's him. How is he?"

"Well, sir. The doctors are still operating, but when your friend went into surgery, they seemed positive about the results." Her smile was back and it seemed genuine this time. "Most operations like this one run about one or two hours long. He'll probably be under anesthesia for a couple more after that. I can set you and Mrs. Young up in a private waiting room until he's ready for visitors."

"Thank you, Nurse…" Felix knew her last name, but something in him wanted a little more. She had very pretty eyes.

"Angela, sir. I'll just go get that room ready and make sure the doctors let you know the minute there's any news. Can I bring you anything?"

"Thank you very much, Angela. I think we'll be fine, but I promise to let you know." He met her smile with one of his own and made his way back to Rachel's side.

"If you're done flirting with the brunette, did you get anything useful out of her?" Felix found himself weirdly comforted by the sharp edge of her voice. She was paying more attention to her surroundings and recovering her natural sarcasm. At this point she wouldn't leave a loaded gun on the ground.

"Yes, actually. She's getting us our own waiting room to protect the other nurses from you and she's on the lookout for any information on Jacob that she can get." He sat down and put an arm around her shoulders despite the stiffening of her shoulders. "But don't be surprised if the nurses and the doctors here think that it's Mr. and Mrs. Young rather than Agent Young and Dr. Hood."

A flash of denial lit up behind her eyes then it was slowly overtaken by something weirdly speculative. "They'll tell me more if they think I'm next of kin and not just a bodyguard." Rachel reached out and laid a hand on his arm. "If anyone asks, we don't wear rings for security reasons because we work together. I'll make sure the director knows the tru… knows about the plan. He'll go along with it."

"You were never just a bodyguard to Jacob, Rachel. Never."

Her eyes met his for a moment, as if she were searching him for the truth like she would a suspect. Then she merely nodded and looked away.

It didn't matter if she believed him right now. It was Jacob who needed to convince her of the truth that everyone around the pair could already see.

000


	3. Waiting rooms and news

A Day of Firsts

By AnitaB

Chapter three: Waiting rooms and news.

Felix was proving his usual helpful and personable self. And while Rachel usually like that about him… right now it was more annoying. Though the private room he'd gotten did free her from watching eyes so she could pace. Rachel always paced. It was that or get her gun back from Felix and go to the local jail. But she couldn't leave Jacob. Not until he was alive and well or until…

Or until she had something she needed to take care of because Jacob wasn't fine. Felix would want to go with her, but he would try to make sure she didn't do what she knew she would have to. And the doctors still wouldn't tell her anything. What the hell good was being 'the wife' if she couldn't get any information out of it.

The thought of what it might be like to really be Jacob's wife… well, that was another reason to pace. That brilliant stupid man had jumped in front of her bullet. If he put a ring on her finger, he'd insist on putting her first more often. He'd be impossible to guard and unbelievably sweet. He'd be … everything she wasn't worthy of. And everything she wanted.

//Damnit it hell, Jacob.\\ She was a glorified bullet-proof vest and she hadn't even succeeded at that. What in the hell did he see in her that was worth dying for? Rachel glared down at her hands and the little flecks of his blood still on her skin. By now, no less than five people had tried to clean this bit of evidence off her hands. But until she could see and touch Jacob again, Rachel wasn't letting this go.

She wasn't ever letting him out of her sight again.

"Mrs. Young?"

//Finally,\\ Rachel turned towards that hesitant voice and tried not to look scary. At least one nurse had stumbled so hard over her words that Felix had been forced to take her aside and get the information himself. //I scared her too badly. Mustn't scare the doctor.\\

"Yes, that's me. How's Jacob?"

The doctor's expression wasn't the 'I'm sorry, ma'am' face she'd been afraid of. But it wasn't comforting enough. Especially when he started talking. "Mr. Young lost a lot of blood." Felix appeared almost magically at her side to put a hand on her arm.

//Oh, god, no. Jacob, please.\\ Rachel felt her breath catch, but knew she had the choice to make words or whimpers. "Is… he… okay?"

"He should make a full recovery. But right now, he's still under anesthesia and he's weak. The bullet did minimal damage to his shoulder. A couple weeks in a sling and he should be fine." Rachel found herself leaning heavily against Felix's arm around her shoulders. Relief burst through her muscles in a wave of heat, stealing the extra layer of tension and worry that had been holding her up.

"I need to see him." She hated the way her voice sounded, but it was more important to get back to Jacob's side than to worry about how pathetic she seemed. "I can see him?"

"He's being moved into recovery right now. I'll send Nurse Brown to take you there as soon as your husband's ready for visitors."

"Make it soon, please." She felt her knees going shaky and let Felix lead her towards a chair. "Thank you, Doctor." The crash was coming and she could feel it. The hard plastic chair hit the backs of her knees. "Felix, could you go give the director the news?" Fisting her hands in the cloth of her pants, Rachel held on until he cleared the door just steps behind the doctor. The hinges were still swinging when the first tear escaped and fell in a hot line down her face. Wrapping her arms tight around her own ribs, Rachel didn't fight the second tear or the third. Somewhere around the fifth or sixth streak of water, she felt her shoulders start to shake and buried her face in her hands. He was okay. Jacob hadn't died for her. But Damnit all to hell, he was going to live for her now. She wasn't going to put up with anything less. And if he wanted to argue with her about it he'd have to get better fast enough to do it sling-free because she wasn't about to cut him one inch of slack.

If he could make the choice he had, she damn well was making him live with the consequences. And now, Rachel was going to have the time she needed. //Jacob,\\

"Mrs. Young?" Rachel swiped quickly at her eyes and looked up at the pretty and helpful brunette nurse who was standing in front of her feet. "Your husband is settled into his room… if you'll follow me, we'll go see him."

"Yes, thank you." Standing, she barely stopped herself from outpacing the nurse on the trip through the hospital hallways. Too many turns later, Rachel quit fighting the nerves in her body, now rushing past the nurse as soon as she could tell where they were going. "Jacob," They had him curled slightly on his side to keep pressure off his wound. There were tubes in his arm and wires attached to his ribs.

But all Rachel saw was the peaceful look on his face and the rise and fall of his chest. He was beautiful. Her feet moved on their own, her hands reached out. She needed to touch him, to feel his skin against hers, to count the beat of his heart and the warmth of his breath. Soft hair curled between her fingers as her other hand cupped the line of his cheek. Her body moved on its own into a chair without letting go of him. Rachel finally tore her eyes from his face to examine him as a whole. Her hands claimed one of his, twining his fingers between her own. The bandage looked huge but there wasn't a speck of blood on it. His skin was pale but warm. He was here. And she was crying, hiding her tear-streaked face in his palm. "I almost lost you. Damn you, Jacob, don't ever scare me like that again."

000


	4. Paging DR Romance

A Day of Firsts

By AnitaB

Chapter four: Paging Dr. Romance

Drugs always left him feeling fuzzy and disoriented. As far back as his childhood tonsillectomy all the way through various teenage and college trips to the ER, to his accidental dosing by means of water pipe, Jacob hated waking up on the wrong side of mood-altering chemicals.

But there was something different this time. Jacob never slept on his side, but he could feel something propping him up. His back was cold and achy but his hand was warm. His eyelids were heavy and his throat dry. But despite his physical discomforts, he felt completely clear-headed. Jacob knew exactly what had happened and why he was in this hospital bed. //Rachel,\\ That was the reason, and she had to be the warmth wrapped around his fingers. He had saved his Rachel. She was warm and alive and clutching his hand. That made any number of bullet wounds worth it.

Jacob also knew the second she realized he was awake, he would be due for a lecture. No one did a "What the hell were you thinking" rant better than his bodyguard and best friend. She could yell at him all she wanted after he soaked in the warmth of her touch a little more.

It might help him hold onto his control at just how beautiful she was when she argued with him.

Jacob clenched his eyes a little tighter and pulled her hand closer to his chest. Rachel didn't let herself be this soft around him very often. Typically only as long as one of them was still bleeding. He was happy it was his turn this time.

"Jake,"

The voice was quiet, male, and very familiar. And Felix would never call him Jake. "Frank?" He found himself whispering just a little more quietly than the FBI director. Jacob dragged his eyes open and looked first down at his hand. Rachel, his Rachel, was asleep, blonde hair trailing over the collar of her shirt. There was a smear of blood, his blood on her cheek, along with the faint streaking of tears. //Sweetheart,\\ His hand tightened around hers when what he really wanted to do was pull her into his arms and cuddle her close. He wanted to keep her close and feel her arms around him. "What happened after I got shot?"

He forced his eyes off Rachel to focus on Frank's face, but he couldn't keep his fingers from stroking back and forth over her skin. "Your Rachel apparently scared the shooter enough to get him to surrender peacefully without firing a shot and promptly began to scare the paramedics and hospital staff." Frank smiled and looked down the hospital bed to the FBI agent sleeping across the edge of the mattress. "Don't be too surprised if they call you Mr. and Mrs. Young. Apparently, the paramedics thought you were married when they found her crying with you in her lap."

Jacob blinked and shook his head gently. "Married?" He shifted to see her a little better, feeling the twinge of mostly medicated pain in his back. "She was… crying?"

"Yeah, she was. In the waiting room too." Frank folded his hands together over his stomach and nodded toward the sleeping woman. "Felix still has her gun since she dropped it to take care of you."

Rachel never left her weapons unattended. In all their time together he'd never seen her lose track of so much as a shell casing. Thinking of guns brought his mind back to the last thought through his head before losing consciousness. "He was aiming for her not me. We need to know why."

"I'm sure we'll get all those answers soon enough. But there's something else you should deal with first." The director of the FBI stood, rested one hand on Rachel's shoulder and the other on Jacob's arm. "Technically you're not partners, so there's no Bureau policy in the way. You should tell her. You showed her today, but she is a woman. They need the words. Take some advice from a friend. Don't miss out on a chance for something this important out of fear." With one more smile and a nudge, Frank leaned against the wall to almost stand guard. "Make today have a better end than it did a middle. For all of us."

Jacob knew his doctors would want him to keep breathing, but it wasn't easy right now. He was afraid. He was terrified. He'd known he wanted more than they had when she'd been kidnapped and shot with a crossbow. But Jacob knew Rachel deserved so much better than him. He'd tried to let her go and she determinedly kept her place at his side. //If it was anyone else lying here, instead of me, I swear to you I would be jealous as hell.\\ He'd smiled at her when she'd said that from her hospital bed and right now he knew exactly how she had felt. But what would it feel like to have her closer if she decided later that it wasn't enough… if he wasn't enough… if she pulled away. "Frank, I can't lose her, not for anything."

"Brilliant, stupid, Jacob. I don't think you could if you tried. But you might find out if you hide from her for too long." Frank shook his head at two of the smartest and stupidest people he'd ever known. "If you're willing to die for her, aren't you willing to live?"

Jacob tried to speak, but the words just weren't coming to his lips. His fingers tightened around hers, his entire body curling a little closer to the woman sleeping on the edge of his bed. To have Rachel, to really show her how he felt… to risk having her at his side to get her into his arms, terrified him. The next time one of them ended up in a hospital bed, it might be too late. How would he feel if one of them died before he found the courage to tell her the whole truth? //My Rachel, could you really care about me that way?\\

Frank gave him a wide smile and a nod. "I'm going to see how Felix's doing. Rachel's been asleep for an hour or so, still holding your hand of course. She might wake up if she had a good enough reason to." His friend and boss gave him one more smile and walked out the door.

Jacob found his hands shaking at the emotions flooding through him. He could have died protecting her. And that would scare him far, far less than simply telling her the truth. He loved her. He wanted her at his side, in his arms, on his lips. Jacob wanted this woman in his life in any way she would accept him.

But would she accept him? "Rachel," Jacob watched his own hand stroke along the line of her face and slide into the silky warmth of her hair. //I love you, Rachel, I need you. Please stay with me.\\

000


	5. All the reasons why

A Day of Firsts

By AnitaB

Chapter five: All the reasons why

Something had changed in the room. And that change was slowly dragging her senses back up out of the troubled and exhausted sleep she was in. It wasn't like Rachel hadn't learned the fine art of sleeping where and when she could. She'd crashed out for naps in labs, hotels, and cars the entire time she'd worked with Jacob. That man never seemed to need sleep. But this wasn't like the dozens of times she'd woken up drooling on a counter or to Jacob's hands holding a cup of coffee for her.

This sensation dragging her from sleep was the sound of his voice saying her name and the warm stroke of fingers over her skin. "Rachel," That big warm hand moved to run fingers through her hair. The second whisper of her name seemed rougher, lower and his hand cupped her cheek.

It wasn't a dream, Jacob was awake and touching her. "Jacob," Rachel felt relief flood through her, dragging her head up. Her eyes locked to his face and her body moved on its own to sit on the edge of the bed and reach for him. "You're awake. Finally." She bit her lip and ran her fingers along the stubborn line of his jaw and into his hair. "Don't you ever scare me like that again. Do you hear me, Jacob Hood?"

He smiled and her heart skipped a beat. His hand moved, dragging up her arm to her shoulder and pulling her closer. "Rachel, I never want to scare you, or leave you. Come here."

She should resist the hug he was leading her into, but there was nothing she wanted more than to feel he was really okay, to bury herself in the warmth of his arms and count the pulse and breath of his body. "Jacob," Rachel wrapped her arms around his chest, careful to stay clear of his bandages as she buried herself against his ribs. His arms held her tight, warm, and safe. His heart beat strong and steady against her ribs. His breath rushed warm against her ear with a whisper of her name. His lips brushed over her temple in a soft, careful kiss. "Why, Jacob? Why did you take my bullet?"

His arms tightened, pressing her a little closer with trembling muscles. "I couldn't lose you, can't ever lose you." His heart sped up and his breathing changed, but his hug didn't loosen in the slightest. "I love you, Rachel. I need you."

She must be hallucinating. Maybe she was still asleep and this was a dream. Jacob hadn't really just said … he couldn't. Rachel gently pushed against his chest, pulling back just enough to get her eyes to his face. "Jacob? What did you say?"

His eyes fell closed for a long second as his hand moved to cup her face and keep her close. "I said that I love you, Rachel. I need you. And I mean it." His fingers stroked her skin, his thumb sliding over her lips. And those gorgeous eyes dropped to meet it. "I've loved you for a long time, but I was too afraid of losing you to do anything about it. I would do anything to keep you with me, Rachel. Anything."

Staring into his face, she had to believe him. Jacob had never lied to her. The fact that she'd wanted this, dreamed about it wasn't causing her to suffer a mental breakdown. And even if she was cracking, she wasn't going to waste a second of time before she came back to her senses. "Jacob," Catching his precious face in both hands, Rachel leaned down to finally press her lips gently over his. Warm, smooth, and sweet, those lips opened under hers, softly deepening this first amazing kiss. Arms tightened, hands clutched, and hearts raced. Jacob loved her, was holding her and kissing her. Every single nerve in her body melted into the heat of it.

Clenching her fingers in his hair, Rachel groaned against his lips and explored the hot, sweet depths of his mouth with an eager tongue. Nothing in her entire life felt better than this moment in his arms. But there was something she still needed to tell him. It was hard to pull back, even harder to give up the sweet dance of tongues and the warm stroke of lips. He didn't make it easier with the grip of his hands and the rasp of sound on his lips. "Rachel, please."

"Jacob," Rachel covered his tempting lips with her fingertips and fought to make her voice work. "I… I need you to listen to me, okay?" He kissed her fingers and dragged his eyes off her lips with a nod. It was like he didn't want her able to speak. Rachel locked her eyes onto his, making him see her face. She needed him to believe her, to see it, feel it. "Good. I'm not going anywhere, Jacob. I'm not leaving you. Not ever, because… I need you. I love you, Jacob."

Nothing in the world was more beautiful than the instant heat and need on his face. Her Jacob believed her. He went shaky in her arms. His eyes fell shut and every inch of his body shivered and pressed closer along hers. Her body felt the spreading heat, melting into the desperate grip of his arms. His lips moved silently against her palm before he dragged her down into another kiss. This one was much harder and deeper. This was Jacob exploring the inside of her mouth like he was searching for something. This was a hot, wet dance of eager tongues and a desperate clenching of hungry hands.

Her fingers shook against his chest, trying to pull him closer, feel more of him against her skin. Under her hands, the texture of fabric changed from his hospital gown to his bandages as her arms curled around his neck. //oh, damn.\\

She was ninety percent sure that the moan on his lips when she pulled back was need not pain. But there was no way Rachel was risking him hurting himself again. She'd seen more than enough of his blood already today. "Rachel, please."

"No, Jacob. You're injured. We can't… not yet." Resting her forehead against his, she forced her muscles to relax in his arms until they merely held each other. Rachel felt Jacob fighting to do the same, forcing his arms to curl gently around her waist. His breath rushed and hitched against her lips. "That's my Jacob, breathe for me."

He brushed a gentle kiss over her lips with a whisper of her name. "Rachel, stay… here. Let me hold you a little longer." A big hand curved up the middle of her back, sliding into her hair to cup her face. "I don't want to let you go."

He wanted her to be a puddle in his arms. And that's exactly what he was going to get with that low, sweet request and the heat in his eyes. "I told you, Jacob. I'm not going anywhere. Not ever." His smile was just another hitch in her breathing. Then his hands helped her settled into the curve of his body with her back to his chest. His arms wrapped around her, tucking her in close. Rachel sighed and wove her fingers through his as she pulled his arms tighter around her. This was perfect, this was exactly what she had needed since he'd pulled her into the protective shadow of his body for the shooting. She wasn't moving for a very, very long time if either of them had anything to say about it.

But they weren't the only ones who were going to have an opinion on the matter. "Jacob, what about Director Fuller?"

His ribs shook just a little at her back. Jacob was laughing and nuzzling her hair. "Frank gave us his blessing before you woke up. He'd never let me live it down if I let you go now."

"Good, neither would I."

000


	6. Stubborn People

A Day of Firsts

By AnitaB

Chapter six: Stubborn People

Felix looked down into the coffee cup on the little cafeteria table. Most agents hoped at one point or another in their FBI careers to have the Director himself buy them coffee. Most agents probably didn't have it happen in the hospital where they were taking turns watching over their mutual friends after a shooting.

And Felix would lay a week's pay that nobody had imagined the coffee purchase would be a delaying tactic to help said agents cross a line. Never had he hoped so much for two people to stop being stubborn and kiss already.

"You think they're going to be too stubborn?" He swirled the coffee around the edge of the cup before looking up at Director Fuller across the table. "I mean, to actually let themselves act on it."

"I hope not, Agent Lee." The director gave him a soft little smile. "I've known Jacob for a long time, and he hasn't acted like that about a woman since his wife died. They both deserve a chance to be happy."

"Yes, yes they do. And watching how they look at each other… it's like the rest of the world disappears."

"Just like it should, I guess." Director Fuller sighed and took a sip from his cup. "We should give it about another ten minutes before you go check on them. I think agent Young will be more comfortable to be caught by a subordinate than a superior."

Felix chuckled low in his chest. It might be a lot of fun to catch Rachel in Jacob's arms. They'd both blush a little and get all flustered. "Make it fifteen minutes. Just in case."

They actually waited twenty minutes before the director left to start paperwork on the shooting and Felix went to Jacob's hospital room door. He wasn't even a full step inside when he started grinning. Rachel was in Jacob's arms, curled back into the line of his chest with his arms wrapped tight around her waist. Her hands were on his arms, cuddling him closer. She was awake, he was asleep. That was a switch.

"Shh, I got him to sleep." Rachel gave him a twist of a smile. "We made a deal: I stay here, he sleeps. At least for a little while."

Felix sat down in the chair that had been hers before she joined Jacob in the bed. "That sounds fair. You know, Rachel, you need to get more sleep too. It's been a stressful day." He opened his suit jacket to show off his pair of guns, his own and hers. "If it makes you feel better, I'll play bodyguard for both of you."

He adored the soft laugh on her lips. The smile was beautiful, warm and relaxed. "What would we do without you, Felix?"

"I don't know, Agent Young, maybe the two of you would have gotten together months ago if you hadn't had me hanging around to distract you."

"You think so? We're both pretty stubborn people. It would've taken something big to shock us into taking a risk."

Felix felt a short burst of laughter on his lips. "You mean that getting shot with a cross-bow and held hostage awhile back wasn't a big enough shock for the two of you?"

"He tried to protect me then by offering me a chance to leave him. Jacob thought it was his fault. I wouldn't go. Not then, not now, not ever." He watched her cuddle closer against Jacob's chest, tucking his arms tighter around herself.

"Good," Jacob's voice was quiet, soft, but very clear. His arms tightened around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder. "'Cause I wouldn't let you go now anyway." Felix couldn't help a smile at the look on her face. "You're mine, Rachel. I'm keeping you."

Rachel's eyes fell closed and a shiver ran through her body. She did, however, manage a steady voice. "You're supposed to be sleeping. You got shot today, remember?"

"I remember. I also remember our deal. I sleep, you stay right here," His arms tightened just a little, his hands fisting in her clothes. "and you try to sleep. You're breaking the deal, Rachel."

"Felix is distracting me. It's not my fault." The look on her face made it so Felix didn't feel the blame too heavily. Jacob's sleepy smile softened the blow too. "Felix, go flirt some more with your brunette nurse and find out when I can take Jacob home."

"I bet they want to keep him overnight at the very least. Since I don't expect that you're leaving either, Rachel, whether you have permission to be here or not…" Felix felt the smile fighting its way past his fake serious expression. "Do you guys want me to pick up a few things from your apartments?"

Rachel was smiling now too, and reaching into a pocket for her key chain. The man at her back hesitated a moment before opening his grip enough to let her move. "Thanks, Felix. My travel bag is in the hall closet. Jacob's should be in his bedroom closet. His key is the one with the red plastic. Mine's blue." Once the keys were dropped into his hand Felix watched Jacob tuck Rachel back against his chest and wrap her tight in his arms. They hadn't been alone for more than twenty minutes, but already the two of them cuddled like they'd been married for years. It was only a matter of time before someone did walk in on them kissing… or more. And with his luck, Felix would be the someone.

"I'll be right back. You two try to sleep. If you're awake when I get here with your bags, I'm having Angela spike your water pitcher with sedatives."

"Angela?" Jacob screwed up his eyebrows and looked to Rachel. "Do we know this Angela?"

"I do. She's the brunette nurse he's been flirting with since he got to the hospital. You'll meet her soon enough. I think she's the only one not afraid of me."

Felix just smiled at the couple and headed for the door. He needed to stop by the nurse's station before he went by his friends' apartments.

000


	7. The end of a long day

A Day of Firsts

By AnitaB

Chapter seven: The end of a long day.

She felt so good in his arms. But was even more amazing was just that she was here at all. Rachel, his strong, sweet, beautiful Rachel had accepted him. She had kissed him so sweetly and cuddled into his arms like she'd wanted to be there as much as he'd always wanted her there. Jacob could still taste her on his lips, on his tongue. He could still see the heat in her eyes even as she had pulled back. Even with his eyes closed and his face buried in her hair, he could see that wealth of worried need in her eyes when she'd stared at his lips.

His Rachel wanted more kisses, wanted his kiss. And it was his chosen task in life to make sure that this woman got everything she wanted. And the fact that she wanted him… just made everything perfect. The dull, throbbing pain in his shoulder was a tiny price to pay for the perfection of having her in his arms, of having her love and finally being able to give her his love. //My sweet Rachel, closer.\\ Jacob tightened his hands against the smooth line of her waist, tucking his girl harder against his chest with a low little sound. "I can't sleep,"

"You heard what Felix said he'd do if we're awake when he gets back." Rachel's hands rubbed along the backs of his arms as the playful note in her voice raised heat in his nerves. "I know how much you hate the way drugs make you feel." She wiggled a little in his arms, turning just enough to give him the warmth of her smile. "And you had to go and get yourself shot today. We could both use the rest." He felt his heart change pace at the sight of her eyes going a little shiny. Her hands shook as they rested against his chest, her fingertips just barely touching the taped edge of his bandage. "'Cause I'm giving you hell until you make a full recovery. And I mean 100% better, you got me?"

His arms tightened around her a little, pressing her closer against his chest in a movement that was already second nature. "I got you, sweetheart." Jacob heard the heat in his own voice and deliberately upped the temperature. She had melted into his kiss already. It was time to see what else he could make her feel. He ran his fingertips along the line of her jaw and locked his eyes on the lips he was already addicted to. "And I plan on being 100% for you as soon as I can. No injuries to make us stop anymore."

She shivered in his arms, a low sweet sound on her lips as her eyes fell closed. "Jacob," His Rachel leaned up and he found himself meeting her halfway just for the taste of his first name on her tongue. He got lost in the kiss, drinking in the warmth and need of her. Soft lips, agile tongue, and sweet little groans sent heat flooding his every nerve. //My sweet Rachel, my love.\\ Fisting a hand in the back of her shirt, Jacob pressed her closer and deepened the kiss. He needed more of her, needed her closer. Every inch of his body gathered her closer, one hand sliding along her thigh to pull her knee over his hip.

"Whoa, whoa. That's not what I meant when I said I wanted to find you sleeping." Felix's voice held laughter but not surprise. But what Jacob noticed was the way Rachel's entire body flinched in his arms before she hid her face against his chest. //I guess I'm taking take of this situation.\\ Raising his head, he rubbed one hand up and down her back and met the smile on Felix's face with one of his own.

"Welcome back, Felix." Jacob knew he sounded just a little breathless but was impressed that he'd gotten the words to his lips at all. Rachel had the ability to rob him of words entirely.

The overnight bags in his hands were held up almost like a shield. Then the young agent laid them on the floor and leaned back against the wall. The smile on his face widened as his eyes trailed over the two of them on the bed. "I see that I need to talk to Angela about those sedatives."

Rachel shifted against his chest, turning enough to stop hiding in his ribs. "We couldn't sleep." She almost met Felix's eyes but didn't quite manage it. The little bit of embarrassment in her face was almost hidden by a soft smile.

When Felix laughed, Rachel started to blush. Jacob helplessly dropped a kiss on her forehead and curled his arms a little tighter around her ribs. "I can see that, Rachel. Though the two of you are looking better." Agent Lee sat down and his grin got even wider. "I'm happy for you both. Really happy. But if you don't rest you won't recover, either of you." Dark eyes glared a little at Rachel. "And I will not be the only one of us left solving the funky science stuff. I need you guys fit for fieldwork."

"And what did your Angela say about that?" Now Rachel actually managed to look at Felix and speak to him at the same time. "Did you ask her how long he has to stay?" Jacob felt her body shift against his, her back straightening with the edge of purpose. The FBI bodyguard in her was thinking too hard. And he wanted his Rachel back.

Jacob spread his hand wide against her ribs and pulled her back tight into his chest. "Tired of me already, Rachel? Want me home and out of your hair?" He ran his other hand through her hair, smiling at the way she bit her lip and shivered just a little. Before his eyes, Rachel nuzzled her cheek into his palm with a soft little smile. //My beautiful Rachel.\\

"No, Jacob. That's not it at all." She flicked her eyes towards Felix and then seemed to shake off the distraction. Her tiny, warm hand cupped his cheek before her lips against his closed his eyes. It was a perfect kiss. Soft, sweet, and so full of warmth that he could feel in heating every cell in his body. "You know that I'm not letting you go, not ever, ever again."

"I know it, Rachel." He rested his forehead against hers, breathing past the lump in his throat. "I just want you to remember it."

A quick, deep laugh made him lift his head and meet Felix's eyes. "Angela, who isn't mine by the way, said he could probably go home in two or three days… if he had someone to look after him." A finger lifted to scolding-mother pose and shook mid-air. "He, and I quote, isn't to use that arm too much and he needs lots of rest."

"I'll take good care of him." He felt her eyes on his face and knew deep down that at least part of that 'good care' was going to be the lecture he'd been expecting since the second he woke up holding her hand.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll take good care of each other." //That's the plan, that's always been the plan.\\ Felix stood, straightened his suit jacket and offered them another smile. "Now, are you guys resting or am I going for the sleeping pills to slip in your water pitcher?"

Rachel's laughter made him smile before she shook her head at the both of them. "We're resting, but not if you're sitting in here teasing us. Go away and we'll go to sleep." Her body turned in his arms, her back to his chest and one hand intertwined with his. "Goodnight, Felix. We'll see you tomorrow."

"Sleep well, and I mean it." With a last smile, Felix dimmed the lights and ducked out the door.

In his arms, his Rachel settled herself a little closer. "Close your eyes, Jacob. It's been a long day."

He buried his face in the sweet smell of her hair and tugged her just a little closer. "Yes, it has. But it's ending well."

000


	8. Oh yeah, the shooter

A Day of Firsts

By AnitaB

Chapter eight: Oh yeah, the shooter

It turned out to be three days before she could take him home. But there was something that she had to take care of before Jacob set one foot outside the hospital. It was easy to forget that someone had shot at them when Jacob was holding and kissing her, but there was no way in hell that he was going out in the open until she knew why.

Rachel tried to put Felix on guard duty at the hospital, but he wasn't hearing it. Eventually it was just easier to agree to put a local on Jacob's room and let Felix take her down to the station. He seemed to think that she shouldn't question the man alone. Jacob had some rather definite opinions on the subject too. //Silly men,\\

"Rachel," Damn him for his power over her. With just the sound of her name on his lips and the stroke of his fingers around her wrist, he had her wavering. "Don't go."

"Jacob, I'm your handler. I'm supposed to do these kinds of things when you're in danger. It's my job." It was hard to resist the pull of his hands. But Rachel battled her nerves to a compromise. She braced both hands on his chest where he was sitting on the edge of his bed, but she didn't let him pull her close enough to kiss her. "I'm not going alone…" She glared gently at a grinning Agent Lee. "And we need to know if you're in any danger before we leave the hospital."

"We, Rachel. If we're in any danger. Don't you dare forget that the shooter was aiming at you. I love you, Rachel, and I will not lose you. Do you hear me?" There was no resisting that look on his face. Rachel helplessly let his arms pull her closer and opened to the heat and depth of his kiss. Her fingers fisted in his hair as his tightened in the back of her shirt. She was still breathless and clinging when he managed to pull back first, resting her forehead on his shoulder for a second. The low rumble of his voice sent a shiver through her nerves. "Bring her back to me, Felix."

"Without a scratch. Come on, Agent Young, we've got a shooter to question. Before the good scientist breaks loose to follow us." Felix got a grip on the strap of her purse and moved to lead her from the room. At her glare, he dropped the leather and raised both his hands above his shoulders. "Stay put, Dr. Hood, we'll be back soon."

//Wait a second. That's a good idea.\\ Rachel turned in the doorway to see Jacob's feet about to hit the floor. "Uh-uh, Jacob. You set one foot out of this room before we get back and I'm barricading you into your bedroom for a week."

He hesitated half off the edge of the bed, a smile curving its way over his lips. "You gonna stay locked in there with me, Rachel?"

The images flashed behind her eyes of exactly what that might be like, of keeping Jacob in his bed, of his hands against her skin and his body over hers. If she tried to speak with this picture in her head… well, it was just a bad idea. Rachel managed a smile and a nod before she forced her feet to move through the door. A uniform just outside moved to attention stance. "He sets foot out here, you handcuff him to the bed-rail until we get back."

"Yes, ma'am." She didn't really understand why everyone seemed to be afraid of her, but damn it was handy. "Come on, Felix, let's get this done."

Felix followed her down the hall chuckling deep in his chest. Apparently this fear aura she had didn't work on him either. He kept smiling all the way to the station. "So, Agent Young, how do you want to handle this?" Another low chuckle crossed his lips. "'Cause I can't let you walk in and shoot him for hurting your Jacob."

Even though that was a great idea… "That's not the plan."

"What is the plan?"

Rachel kept her eyes on the road despite the urge to try to read his face. It would piss Jacob off to no end if she were to kill herself in a traffic accident while he was in the hospital. "What, Felix, you worried about me?"

"Darlin'… I watched your face when that scientist was bleeding in your arms. I watched you, a trained FBI agent drop a loaded gun on the street." Felix gave a low chuckle, but this one wasn't the light, happy sound she was used to. "I put that shooter in a cell knowing you wanted him dead and shouldn't be close to him alone. Yeah, I worry 'bout you."

She chewed on her lower lip and thought about it a second. If Jacob hadn't made it… if the man they were about to see had taken away her scientist. If he'd made her watch Jacob die… he wouldn't have made it into a holding cell alive. "Jacob's fine, he's going to be absolutely fine. The shooter knows why we were in danger in the first place. He's more valuable to us alive." Her hands tightened on the wheel at the memory of Jacob's unconscious body collapsed in her lap. "But I am leaving my gun outside the interrogation room if that makes you feel any better."

"It does. I can slam his head into the table at least once if it'll make you feel any better." Now his voice was holding more of his usual humor.

Rachel couldn't help a smile at the thought of the gentle giant in the passenger's seat breaking someone's nose. But she believed he would do it and she just might take him up on the offer. "I'll let you know." The rest of the drive went by in a comfortable silence until the car came to a stop in the parking lot. "Ok, Felix, let's do this."

"And then get you back to Jacob."

"Now that is the plan."

000

Felix smiled at Rachel and led the way into the police station. "Hi, Sergeant Clemens, we'd like to talk to our shooting suspect, Michael Jones."

The desk sergeant's face twisted. "You sure about that? He was all calm when you walked him in, but about an hour after that we had to drag out the straight jacket. That man is nuts."

Rachel's voice was more steady than he'd heard it in days. "Is he talking?"

"Talking? He won't shut up. Keeps babbling about the voices and some 'mission' and 'people playing god.' We've got hours of it recorded. By all means, take it off our hands. Take him if you want him."

"We'll probably be doing both sometime soon. But the use of one of your interview rooms would be appreciated for now." Felix knew it was his job to grease the wheels when possible. And besides, Jacob had him on bodyguard duty today, he might as well earn his keep.

"Sure thing, Agents. Have a seat and I'll get you set up."

"See, Rachel? A little extra courtesy never made things harder." Felix smiled at Rachel and liked the smile he got back.

"I know that, Felix. But you've never been a short, white woman with a gun. If I'm too nice, it makes people think I'm weak. Then I have to shoot someone to make my point. You be polite. Jacob's too distracted and I'm just not nice enough."

"Oh, I think you'll both be a lot nicer after you get Jacob home for a few days." He simply adored the shock spreading across her face. Especially since it carried just a hint of heat behind it.

"Felix!"

"Right this way, Agents. Our resident nutball is waiting for you in Interrogation room three."

Felix was grinning the whole way to the room, even as Rachel's gun was tucked into his waistband. It took the first glance through the one-way mirror to wipe the smile from his face. They hadn't been joking about the straight jacket. "I'm going in first." The words were already off his lips before Felix had finished thinking them, but that was no reason to stop. "No arguments, Rachel. Jacob would have my hide if I let you spend one second alone in a room with that man." He found himself touching his gun as if to pull it. "For that matter, keep your short, white self on my side of the room."

Rachel was looking through that window and her gun hand was at her holster too. "Normally I would argue with you about that, because I'm the senior agent here and I can take care of myself. But I made Jacob a promise too." He watched her fingers twitch before they settled at her sides. "Lead the way, Felix. This one's yours."

"Thank you, Rachel." Felix put one hand to her back before he stepped in front of her and moved to the door. With his politeness wrapped around like a coat, he entered the room. "Mr. Jones, hi, I'm Agent Lee from the FBI. I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about what happened in that parking lot."

"I was on a mission. My duty to god, to the world. A very, very important mission." He didn't even look up with the words. Frankly, Felix wasn't sure if he'd responded to his presence or just went on with his rant. "Men with badges kept me from completing my mission."

"What mission is that, Mr. Jones?"

Now the man looked up and it took every ounce of Felix's self-control not to go for a gun. //Damn, he's as nutty as a fruitcake.\\ It made him appreciate once again just how good Rachel was to have kept her cool when those eyes met hers over the barrel of a gun. "Do you have any idea what those scientists were doing? I could hear them, could hear the souls of their animals crying out to be freed. That chemist was blinding them, using their blood in his little potions, feeding them poisons. God told me to free the animals, free the animals and teach the men the errors of their ways. Make them stop their abominations. And I did that, I made him stop. I freed his victims."

So he was their suspect in the Chemist's death as well as the shooting. They hadn't even gotten inside the lab to see what killed the scientist and his lab animals before the shooting interrupted the crime scene. Safe bet was he was looking at the cause of death right now. "Why stay at that place if you'd already freed the animals? Why wait for the men with the badges?"

"The voices said more were coming. If I hid, if I waited, another scientist would come. Shh…" Mr. Jones ducked his head, even moved one shoulder as if to put the gesture to the sound. "Wait, they said. Wait for the replacement. There's always another one just waiting to take up their evil work. Aryan bastards. Nazi work didn't end with the war. The blonde ones are always in charge."

Well, that made a sick sort of sense. Rachel was certainly the most Aryan looking of all the officers on-scene. Felix glanced at the mirror, trying to decide whether or not a blonde in the room was a good idea. Being more realistic, he let the look on his face give her the decision to come in or not. He wasn't at all surprised with the door opened.

"Why do you think that is, Mr. Jones? Why are the blondes always in charge?" Her voice was smooth and rich. And he congratulated her in his head for both her calm demeanor and the way her hands on his shoulders meant she was staying in the safest place possible.

"Nazi scientist Bitch!" Mr. Jones tried to get to his feet, but the locals had done a very nice job with the straight jacket and the chains holding him to the chair. He crashed back onto the seat "I should have killed you when I had the chance."

Her hands tightened on his shoulders just a bit before she forcibly relaxed against the back of his chair and played her fingers along a seam in his suit jacket. "Yes, Mr. Jones, you should have killed me when you had the chance. You took one bad shot and just … gave up. There we were, guns out. I couldn't run away with my guard collapsed against me. I was pinned. Why didn't you just shoot me then? No, you valued your life more than this mission of yours." He fought not to laugh at the scolding tsk, tsk sound in her voice. "Your god must be so disappointed in you."

The man tried to get to his feet again, the snap and rattle of the chains preceding the motion. But Felix moved faster. Grabbing a fistful of the front of the straight jacket, he slammed Mr. Jones back down into the chair with enough force to bounce his head off the table. "Sit down, Mr. Jones. Making another attempt on this woman's life won't make your situation any easier."

"My situation won't be any easier until all the Nazi scientists join their victims in the ground."

"I think we're done here, Agent Lee." For the first time since she had entered the room, Rachel took both her hands off his back. But she wasn't moving closer to the dangerous man. "Let's go home."

"After you," Felix kept his eyes on the man slumped over the table until she was at the door. In another thirty seconds he wouldn't be a danger to any of his friends anymore. "Lead the way, Agent Young." He followed her out that door and found himself with a tiny blonde against his chest.

"Thank you, Felix." He wrapped his arms around her and felt the shaking in her body ease just a little. Tighter seemed better, he could do tighter.

Rubbing one hand up and down her back, Felix waited for her grip to loosen before he moved. "Come on, Rachel. Let's pick up Jacob and get both of you home."

The smile on her face made him give her one back. "That's the plan."

000


	9. Going Home

A Day of Firsts

By AnitaB

Chapter nine: Going home

It was taking too long. It was also the longest that Rachel had been away from his side since his surgery a few days ago. Jacob didn't like it one little bit. //Come on, Felix, hurry up and bring her back to me.\\

He'd opened his hospital door more than once and been threatened silently with a pair of handcuffs by the cop Rachel had set as his temporary guard. She must have scared him before she left too. //I want her back in my arms and I want her there now.\\

Then he'd started pacing the length his room. That was only about an hour ago, but it felt longer. Jacob had maybe five minutes of self-restraint left in him before he would have to call Frank to take him to the police station. He'd get teased for the rest of his life, but probably not that much more than he would be getting for the events so far this week. With the director of the FBI at his side he would feed those handcuffs to the uniform at his door and go find his Rachel.

Once he got the heat of her in his arms, he was sure the tight, hard little ache between his ribs would go away. And if that didn't do it, he'd just have to kiss her until he couldn't feel the pain anymore. His feet stopped halfway to the far wall. Maybe he didn't have five minutes left, maybe it was only ten seconds. Jacob turned, his eyes locked on that hospital room door. No handcuffs were stopping him this time. He needed his Rachel back.

His fingers were just about to touch the knob when it twisted before his eyes. Jacob was smiling as he took one step back and braced his feet. Just in time. //Finally,\\ He caught her tight against his chest with a relieved breath of her name, finally warm again as her arms wrapped just as tight around his waist.

"Jacob," Her face buried against his shoulder and he buried his face in the blonde spill of her hair. "Tighter," Strong little fingers fisted in the back of his shirt as their owner pressed closer.

He could do that. He could do anything for the feel of this woman in his arms. When their arms were tight enough to make breathing just a little hard, Jacob brushed his lips against her cheek. "I'm right here, Rachel. I've got you. We're okay."

"Yes, yes we are." Her eyes met his before they dropped to his lips and filled with heat. Jacob couldn't help meeting her halfway. "Jacob," He kissed the sound of his own name off her sweet lips, burying a hand in her hair to lengthen and deepen this delicious kiss.

A sound in the doorway behind Rachel tried to get his attention, but the slide of her arms around his neck delayed his response for another stroke of her tongue against his. Weakly raising his head at the second fake cough from Felix's chest, Jacob gave the young agent a quick smile. "Did you two find out what you needed to know?"

"Yes, we did. And Rachel did a very good job at letting me protect her." Felix smiled at the pair and took his traditional seat near the door. "Your shooter thought your bodyguard was the, how did he phrase it, Rachel?"

"Nazi scientist bitch, I believe, was the term he used." Rachel cuddled herself against his chest and rested all ten of her fingers over his heart. He knew she could felt the rush of anger through his nerves by the calming stroke of her hands over his chest and the look on her face.

"That's right. He thought she was the Nazi scientist sent to replace the chemist he'd already killed for his 'evil work'. And that you were her bodyguard. If he's found competent to stand trial, he will be convicted beyond any reasonable doubt."

"And if he's not fit for prosecution… we will make sure he's in a very, very secure institution for the rest of his life," he heard that anger shaking his voice just the littlest bit. Rachel must have heard it too by the curve of her smile and the dark joy in her eyes. Jacob would use every resource at his considerable disposal to make sure that the man never, ever had another chance to hurt his Rachel.

"That's the plan, Jacob," Felix laughed and stood. "Now, if I remember correctly, we also planned to get the two of you home and resting. So if you're ready to separate enough to walk to the car, we can get this show on the road."

He hesitated a moment before unwrapping his arms from her waist and offering her a hand. "Let's go home, sweetheart."

Her fingers slid through his and tightened. Jacob kissed her knuckles and grabbed his travel bag off the bed. Her bag was already in Felix's hand. "Yeah, Jacob, it's time to get out of here."

Normally he sat in the passenger's seat and Rachel drove, even when Felix was in the car with them. But this time Jacob pulled her into the back seat and right back into his arms. Felix grinned at them in the rearview mirror. "Belts, people. I am so not explaining to the Director of the FBI why two of his agents are back in the hospital after a car accident during the drive home." A low laugh shook his shoulders. "Cuddle later,"

"I think we can manage both, actually." Rachel's hand left his chest and pulled his seat belt across his lap to click at his hip. She was killing him, with those strong and tiny little hands resting against his stomach as she smiled at him. He managed a deep breath when she pulled back to buckle her own seatbelt, the one in the middle of the bench seat, not the opposite corner. "There," Satisfied with their safety, his bodyguard leaned against his side and rested her head over his heart. "Happy now, Felix?"

"Yes, ma'am. Very happy. Let's go."

Jacob wrapped his arms around her tight and rested his cheek against her hair. "Me too, my Rachel, very happy."

Her hands twined with his and her ribs moved with a soft sigh. "Good, let's go home."

Nothing in the whole world was better than this moment with her warm, safe, and close in his arms. Jacob was never letting go of this or of her.

000


End file.
